Ward Repeats as All-American at NCAA Championship

SIUE track and field's La'Derrick Ward repeated as an All-American in the long jump Wednesday at the NCAA Championships.

Ward, competing in his third NCAA Championship, finished sixth to cap off his illustrious career as a Cougar.

Ward completed his first jump with a mark of 25-8, his third-best mark of the year. Despite fouling his next attempts, he remained in the finals and held his sixth-place position. This year's mark was a foot better than his attempts last season at the NCAA Championship.

"We are extremely happy with La'Derrick's performance today," said Jumps Coach Iliyan Chamov. "This is the farthest he ever jumped at national championship. He executed all details and that rewarded him with another All-American title."

The finish completes a long and successful career for Ward. This season alone, he was named an All-American, won the Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor and Indoor Male Field Athlete of the Year, broke two of his own school records, won an OVC title in the long jump and went undefeated in the long jump event.

The records he leaves are in the long jump (26-8.5 in the outdoor season and 25-5.25 in the indoor season) and the triple jump (50-2 outdoor, 50-0.5 indoor).

In addition, he adds an All-American nod from his fourth place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2014, an All-American finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships in 2014, an OVC Outdoor Male Field Athlete of the Year in 2014, an honorable mention All-American finish in 2013 and more than 15 first-place finishes across the long jump and triple jump events.

"La'Derrick had an outstanding career as a Cougar," said Chamov. "For four years, he didn't stop improving for a moment on and off of the field. He was the face of the program on the national and international stage and left a huge tradition for the younger Cougars and upcoming freshman class."

Ward will now turn his attention to United States Track and Field, competing in the USATF Sr. and Jr. Championship June 25-28 in Eugene, Oregon.